becker



3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

T. H.. BECKER'.

AMALGAMATUR-V Patented Feb-19,1884.

No. 293,936.v

N. PETERS Phoxomnugmpw, wuningm. un

3` Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

TQH.,BBCKER.

AMALGAMATOR.

YPatented Peb. 1951884.

00000000000 VDQOOOOOOO, 00000900 N4 PETERS, Phamumagmpher. Wuhrnmm D. C.

VNrTnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THEODOR'E BECKER, OF CENTRAL CITY, COLORADO.

-AlvlALeAls/:ATOFL4 SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 293,936, dated February 19, 1884.

Application filed November 9, 1883. (No model.)

T0 all whom, it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, THEOD'ORE H. BECKER, a

citizen of the United States, Aand a resident of VvCentral City, county of Gilpin, Colorado, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Amalgamators, of which the following is a specilication, reference being had to the drawings accompanying and forming a part of the same.

My invention relates to that class of amalgamators, concentrators, and separators in which pulverized ore or earth containing precious metals is mechanically agitated in contact with mercury or mercury-charged surfaces.

The objects of the invention are to bring all portions of the material under treatment into very intimate contact with the amalgamating material, in order to promote the exhaustive extraction of thev gold or silver, to facilitate the separation of the metal from adhering gang-ue, to provide for a thorough distribution of water throughout the mass of ore or earth being treated, and to automatically con-- centrate the metal.

With these objects in view the invention consists in certain novel constructions and combinations of parts, which will be fully un-v derstood from the following particular description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a side view, mainly in central vertical section, of an amalgamator, concentrator, and separator constructed according to my invention. Fig. 2 isa horizontal section of the apparatus on line x a: of Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a view of two different siphons for drawing off separate divisions or grades of the gangue and mineral. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section of the apparatus, illustrating an improvedarrangement of amalgamatingplates. Fig. 5 is a side and part sectional view of the lower part of the apparatus. y

The letter A indicates a tub, preferably of wood, having a central opening, a, in its bottom, and mounted on the flat side of Aa bevelgear wheel, B, arranged horizontally and having a downwardly-projecting hollow cylindrical hub, b, inserted into a socket or step, C, arranged vertically through a platform, D. Into the lower end of this socket is inserted a pipe E, which is secured in place by a screw sleeve or bushing, e, screwed into the lower end of theV socket and binding a ange, e', on the inner end of the pipe against a shoulder in the socket. Upon this iiange ef rests the lower end of the hub b. A bevel-pinion, F, fixed upon the end of a horizontal shaft, G, meshes with the bevel-wheel B, and communicates a rotary motion to the tub when the said shaft is rotated by any suitable means-as, for instance, a belt passing around the beltwheel H on the shaft G from a suitable motor. The pipe E has a branch pipe, I, and is provided with a two-way cut-off cock, E.

The tub A is provided with aperforated or 6 5 foraminous false bottom, A, and a central opening, a', which, when the machine is at work, is closed by a plug, c2. Above this false bottom theinner surface of the tub-wall is lined by an amalgamated-copper plate, k, and concentrically with this plate, and arranged at a little distance therefrom, is another annular plate of amalgamated copper standing upon the false bottom. This inner copper plate is provided with openings, as shown at p, affording communication from the interior tubspace to the annular space between the two copper plates 7c 7c.

Over the tub Ais a support, A2, from which hangs a nest of amalgamated-coppcr plates, B. These plates are held together by a frame, b', of any ordinary construction, and are suspended from the support A2, so as to be covered by the water in the tub. They are made removable from the support A2, and may be taken out when desired and replaced by others.

Wit-hin the tub is suspended, eccentrically thereto, an agitator or stirrer, Q, composed of a series of arms, q, radiating from a central hub, andprovided with downwardly-projecting pins, paddles, lor bars r, two or more pairs W of which are connected at their lower ends by rubbers s or blocks, which are triangular in shape, with their bases parallel with the bottom of the tub, or simple iiat strips set at anglesto the bars r. The hub from which the arms g radiate is secured to the lower end of a hollow vertical shaft, T, mounted in suitable bearings in arms u, projecting from a standard, U. The upper end of this hollow shaft carries a horizontal bevel-gear wheel, o, mesh- ICO ing with another bevelgear, o', fixed upon the end of a-shaft, fu, mounted in bearings at the top of the standard U, and carrying a beltwheel, o, which is connected by a belt, o, passing downward and around another beltwheel, o5, carried by the horizontal shaft G. In the top of the hollow shaft T is inserted the spout w of a hopper, W. A suitable chute, y, may be arranged to feed pulverized ore or metal-bearing earth into this hopper. Siphons z and z are supported by suitable clamps, projecting from the platform D in such position that their short arms extend to different depths in the tub, and the annular space between the copper plates k and 7c', while their long arms extend outside of the tub and below the bottom thereof. The tub may also be provided at different levels with suitable discharge-openings, through which different grades of material, according to their specic gravities, may be discharged, this being also the object in having the short arms of the siphons extending to different depths in the tub. It will be observed that the center of rotation of the agitator Q is about half-w ay between the center of the tub and the inner copper plate, k', and the center of the tub is therefore in the path of the rubbers or mullers s.

rIhe operation of the apparatus as now described is as follows: Vhen the horizontal shaft Gr is rotated, rotary motion is communicated, sa f, in the direction of arrow I, and through the intermediate connections, which have been described, an opposite rotary motion is given to the agitator Q, and the motion of this agitator should be i-n such direction that the inclined faces of the rubbers or mullers s will be in front. The surfaces of the copper plates 7c and k should be thoroughly amalgamated or charged with mercury, and radial grooves k2 in the upper surfaces of the false bottom a should be filled with mercury. rIhe cock inpipe E being closed and that in the pipe I opened, water, with or without chemicals and under pressure, is to be introduced through the latter pipe, and will iiow through the upper portion Vof pipe E and hollow hub b into the bottom portion of the tub, and will thence fiow upward through the perforations in the false bottom AC The machine now being in full operation, pulverized ore of gold or silver or earth bearing these metals is to be fed into the hopper W, and will pass down ward through its spout w and the hollow shaft Y. T, falling upon the false bottom of the tub,

and as said tub rotates in one direction and the agitator in the other, and as the water is constantly owiug upward through the perforated bottom, the 'pulp formed by the mixture of the water with the ore or earth will be thoroughly agitated and stirred in such a manner as to be brought into the most intimate contact with the mercury in the grooves of the false bottom and with the surfaces of the copper plates k, k, and B, the centrifugal force exerted upon the pulp by the rotary motion of the tub causing the pulp to be thrown outwardthrough the perforations in the inner plate, 7c', so that it will come in contact with the outer surface of this plate and the inner surface of the plate lo. Owing to the constant and thorough agitation of the pulp and the force of gravity, the heavier particles of metal will sink to the bottom, the metallic portions will be caught by the amalgamating material, and the lighter mineral will be kept in suspension above. One or more of the siphons will be arranged to constantly discharge this light mineral, while one or more others will reach to .a lower depth and carry off the mineral containing the lighter portions of the metal, while the heavier particles will remain upon the bottom.

It will be observed that the inclined faces of the rubbers have a tendency to constantly drive the pulp downward and into contact with the mercury in the grooves k2, and the flat lower sides of these rubbers will triturate the metal on the false bottom, so as to deprive it of rust, and brighten rusty or oxidized particles, so that they will be readily subject to amalgamation.

When it is desired to cease operating the machine and collect the heavier portions of metal, the flow of water will be stopped by closing the cock in pipe I, the plug A? will be removed from the center of the tub, and the cock in pipe E opened. rIhe rich amalgam and heavy mineral will then ilow downward through the pipe E to a suitable receptacle. (Not shown in the drawings.) The heavier lumps or nuggets may be collected from the false bottom, and the cleaning upiof the tub accomplished in the usual manner.

Having now fully described my invention and explained the operation thereof, I wish it to be understood that I do not limit myself to any particular number of the spaced copper plates in the tub, nor to any particular shape of these' plates or the tub, as they may be square or polygonal, as well as circular; nor do I limit myself to any particular number of rubbers with which the agitator may be provided; and, further, instead of the siphons for drawing off the different grades of material, I may provide openings, gates, or spouts, with screens in the wall of the tub, so that the different grades of material may be thrown out at different levels.

'I am aware that an amalgamator-tub has been provided with a single siphon for carrying off water, and I do not claim a tub so provided; neither do I claim, broadly, the combination, with an amalgamator-tub, of amalgamated spaced metal plates, arranged therein either concentrically or otherwise.

Vhat I claim is- 1 l. In an amalgamator, concentrator, and separator, the combination, with a rotary tub having a perforated false bottom and one or more copper plates, of an agitator arranged IOO IIO

Within said tub, and having an opposite rotary motion thereto, and suitable means for feeding ore or earth into the tub from the top and forcing Water into the same through its perforated false bottom, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with the rotary tub having a perforated false bottom and one or more metallic plates capable of amalgamation, of a rotary agitator arranged in the tub eccentrically to the same, means for rotating the agitator and the tub in opposite directions simultaneously, means for feeding Water into the bottom of the tub, and means for discharging the material automatically from the tub at different levels, substantially as described.

3. The combinatiomwith the rotary tub and agitator, of the series of siphons arranged to carry off the material from the tub at different levels, and means for communicating rotary V2o motion to the tub, substantially as described.

4. The combination, with the rotary tub having the perforated false bottom provided With grooves for mercury and the concentric plates capable of amalgamation, of the pipe opening into the bottom of said tub, a suitable shaft and intermediate `gearing for rotating said tub, the agitator Q, constructed substantially as described, and arranged Within said tub eccentrically thereto, the hollowT vertical shaft mounted in suitable bearings and supporting said agitator, a hopper arranged to discharge into said shaft, and suitable intermediate connections for transmitting to said vertical shaft and agitator rotary motion from the shaft which operates the tub, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 8th day of November, 1883.

4.THEODORE H. BECKER. Vitnesses:

FRANK GULAGER, JOHN H. MITCHELL. 

